The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

On June 6, 2000, a Consultant with the Exxon Mobil oil company in Malaysia, Mr. Alfred Carlson made a numbered time (Fixed) Deposit for twelve calendar months,to the tune of £14,000,000.00(Fourteen Million, Pounds Sterling) in my Branch.

Upon maturity, I sent a routine notification to his forwarding address but got no reply.

After a month, I wrote a reminder and finally I discovered from his employers, Exxon Mobil Corporation that Mr. Alfred Carlson died in an explosion while working on one of their Oil Rigs in Malaysia.

On further investigation, I found out that he died without making a WILL.

I therefore made additional investigation and discovered that Mr.Alfred Carlson did not declare any next of kin or relations in all his official documents, including his Bank Deposit papers in our possession.

The sum of £15,000,000.00, which represents Capital and Interest on the deposit, has been carefully moved out of my bank to a security company for safekeeping.

No one will ever come forward to claim it.

According to our Banking Act of 1990, at the expiration of 6 (Six)years,the money will revert to the ownership of the Government if nobody applies to claim the fund.

I would want you, as a person to stand in as his Next of Kin.

You will then be entitled to the deposit.

I will prepare all the paper work and necessary documents involved and as the manager of the branch and custodian of the deposit.

I will ensure that all the documents regarding this Money reflect your name as the next of Kin to Late Mr. Alfred Carlson.

I will share the money with you in the ratio 35:5:60. 35% for your effort,5%for logistics and 60% for me.

I want to assure you that there is virtually no risk on your person as you will not be made to appear in person and all the paper work will be prepared in your name by me.

To achieve this: you will first of all, assure me that you will maintain strict confidentiality on this information and must assure me that you will not make away with the money when it gets into your possession and that no harm will befall me when I join you to invest my share of the money.